“I am the punishment of God...If you had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.”
Genghis Khan, born Borjigin Temüjin, was the founder, ruler and emperor of the Mongol Empire; which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death. He was the man that controlled the largest empire the world has ever known and whose life “altered the whole history of mankind”.
Contribution By uniting many of the nomadic tribes of North-East Asia in the Mongolian Empire, Genghis rose to power. From there, the Mongol invasions began, resulting in his conquest of the majority of Eurasia. It eventually spanned from the Korean Penninsula to Eastern Europe, covered Siberia in the north and had expanded southward into Southeast Asia, the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East. At its greatest extent it covered over 33,000,000 km2, 22% of the Earth's total land area, and holding just over a population of 100 million. These conquests were often achieved with by the large-scale massacres of civilian populations
Challenges Genghis had a particularly difficult early life, like many of the nomads of Mongolia. At the age of nine, his father arranged a marriage for him and was delivered to the family of his future wife to live in service until the marriageable age of 12. When returning home, his father was ambushed by the enemy tartars and was poisoned by eating the food they offered. When Genghis heard this he returned home to take his place as head of the tribe, however they refused to be led by a boy so young and abandoned Genghis and his family, leaving them without protection. They lived together in poverty for many years, living on wild fruits and carcasses found by the Genghis or his brothers. During one particular hunting expedition a ten year old Genghis killed his half-brother and cemented his position as head of the household.
In another incident in 1182 he was captured in a raid and held prisoner by his father's former allies and was enslaved with a cangue; a device used for corporal punishment similar to the pillory expect for it was to be carried around by the victim. However he was able to escape by hiding in a river crevice in the middle of the night.
Legacy Beyond his great military accomplishments, Genghis Khan also advanced the Mongol Empire in other ways. He decreed the adoption of the Uyghur script as the Mongol Empire's writing system. He also promoted religious tolerance in the Mongol Empire, and created a unified empire from the nomadic tribes of northeast Asia. Present-day Mongolians regard him highly as the founding father of Mongolia.
Many aspects of the Renaissance have also been attributed to the Mongols as a result of the trade enabled by Genghis Khan, and it has even been suggested the Renaissance itself was not a rebirth of Greece or Rome, but of the Mongol Empire. Such influences are shown in the spread of paper and printing, the compass, gunpowder and musical instruments such as the violin. a 15th Century manuscript depicting Khan
Historical Perspectives History contains many differing perspectives on the contribution of Genghis Khan. In an early biography of his life written 13 years after his death, Rashid ed-Din Fadlullah writes favourably of Khan’s accomplishments, as does ‘Ala ud-Din ‘Ata- Malik Juvaini in a similar biography 17 years later. Marco Polo is quoted as saying, “Genghis Khan was a man of courage, wisdom and prudence… he used his power with insight and sound judgment”.
On the other hand, Atila, King of the Huns, describes him as a “punishment from God” and Europe was left in the lurch after rejoicing his conquests as recorded by Jacques de Vitry, the Patriach of Jerusalem. In an open letter to the most powerful Christian Kings he wrote of Genghis’ defeat of the King of Persia and that he was prepared to attack the Islamic community of the Caliph so that he would be able to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem with gold and silver. However it soon became evident that this was not Genghis intention at all.
In 2004, “Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World” was written by Jack Weatherford, Dewitt Wallace Professor of Anthropology at Macalester College. It focuses on recounting the experiences of Khan and the making of the Mongol Empire, rather than being sympathetic to the Mongol’s themselves.
GENGHIS
KHAN
(c. 1162 – 1227)
Emperor
“I am the punishment of God...If you had not committed great sins,
God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.”
Genghis Khan, born Borjigin Temüjin, was the founder, ruler and emperor of the Mongol Empire; which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death. He was the man that controlled the largest empire the world has ever known and whose life “altered the whole history of mankind”.
Contribution
By uniting many of the nomadic tribes of North-East Asia in the Mongolian Empire, Genghis rose to power. From there, the Mongol invasions began, resulting in his conquest of the majority of Eurasia. It eventually spanned from the Korean Penninsula to Eastern Europe, covered Siberia in the north and had expanded southward into Southeast Asia, the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East. At its greatest extent it covered over 33,000,000 km2, 22% of the Earth's total land area, and holding just over a population of 100 million. These conquests were often achieved with by the large-scale massacres of civilian populations
Challenges
Genghis had a particularly difficult early life, like many of the nomads of Mongolia. At the age of nine, his father arranged a marriage for him and was delivered to the family of his future wife to live in service until the marriageable age of 12. When returning home, his father was ambushed by the enemy tartars and was poisoned by eating the food they offered. When Genghis heard this he returned home to take his place as head of the tribe, however they refused to be led by a boy so young and abandoned Genghis and his family, leaving them without protection. They lived together in poverty for many years, living on wild fruits and carcasses found by the Genghis or his brothers. During one particular hunting expedition a ten year old Genghis killed his half-brother and cemented his position as head of the household.
In another incident in 1182 he was captured in a raid and held prisoner by his father's former allies and was enslaved with a cangue; a device used for corporal punishment similar to the pillory expect for it was to be carried around by the victim. However he was able to escape by hiding in a river crevice in the middle of the night.
Legacy
Beyond his great military accomplishments, Genghis Khan also advanced the Mongol Empire in other ways. He decreed the adoption of the
Many aspects of the Renaissance have also been attributed to the Mongols as a result of the trade enabled by Genghis Khan, and it has even been suggested the Renaissance itself was not a rebirth of Greece or Rome, but of the Mongol Empire. Such influences are shown in the spread of paper and printing, the compass, gunpowder and musical instruments such as the violin.
a 15th Century manuscript depicting Khan
Historical Perspectives
History contains many differing perspectives on the contribution of Genghis Khan. In an early biography of his life written 13 years after his death, Rashid ed-Din Fadlullah writes favourably of Khan’s accomplishments, as does ‘Ala ud-Din ‘Ata- Malik Juvaini in a similar biography 17 years later. Marco Polo is quoted as saying, “Genghis Khan was a man of courage, wisdom and prudence… he used his power with
insight and sound judgment”.
On the other hand, Atila, King of the Huns, describes him as a “punishment from God” and Europe was left in the lurch after rejoicing his conquests as recorded by Jacques de Vitry, the Patriach of Jerusalem. In an open letter to the most powerful Christian Kings he wrote of Genghis’ defeat of the King of Persia and that he was prepared to attack the Islamic community of the Caliph so that he would be able to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem with gold and silver. However it soon became evident that this was not Genghis intention at all.
In 2004, “Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World” was written by Jack Weatherford, Dewitt Wallace Professor of Anthropology at Macalester College. It focuses on recounting the experiences of Khan and the making of the Mongol Empire, rather than being sympathetic to the Mongol’s themselves.